Highland Tech wins Southern Piedmont girls golf title

Wednesday

Oct 4, 2017 at 10:11 PMOct 5, 2017 at 2:23 PM

Jack Flagler Sports Editor jflagler

CRAMERTON — The Highland Tech girls golf team won three straight conference titles from 2013 to 2015 before Community School of Davidson edged the Rams last fall by just seven strokes. This year, Highland Tech may have started a new streak.

The Rams finished off the conference title Friday at Cramer Mountain Club behind a group that’s a mix of youth and experience. Highland features two seniors on its golf team, Rebecca Hester and golfer of the year Ashley Lowery.

Lowery has earned a berth in the state championship in each of the last two seasons, and hopes to play well enough at regionals to return for a third time this year. She said Wednesday that she’d like to a chance to play the practice round at Longleaf Golf Club against her dad, an assistant coach, and head coach Marty Hutchins.

The Rams featured three new player’s on this year’s team, including two freshmen, but Lowery said the team had fun being together at practices — and enjoyed a key post-practice ritual that helped them bond.

“You have to get milkshakes from Sonic,” she said.

Lincoln Charter’s Angela Huffman was named the conference coach of the year. Angela Jeffords was the only Eagles golfer back this year, all the others were brand new. Huffman’s not a golfer herself and said she was “terrified” heading into the year with so many new golfers on the team, but the girls worked hard to get better.

“They’re great girls. We had a lot of fun and they really improved their scores this year,” Huffman said.

Cherryville coach Matt Powers didn’t know if he’d field a girls golf team this fall. But freshman Kellssie Cook had played at Chavis Middle School with the boys team, and she showed some interest in continuing to play this year as a freshman.

She was joined by three golfers who picked up clubs for the first time this season: Avery Grace Walker, Gracie Hester and Jenna Sherrill. All those brand new players had strong seasons, and Walker qualified for regionals.

The 1A-2A West regional meet will be held at Glen Oaks Golf Club on Tuesday, Oct. 17.